Te Akau NZ Saturday Preview

Te Akau New Zealand has five horses racing at two venues on Saturday 12 December.

Te Rapa:

As on Friday 11 December the conditions were: overcast and Dead4, rail true.

2.34 p.m. R4 2 Wolfwhistle (5 g O'Reilly - Legs) - Matt Cameron; freshened and resumes off 42 days in the $30,000 Rating 85 1600 metres. He won a recent trial over a mile, with blinkers on, and an encouraging performance in this field would be an ideal platform for stepping up in distance.

3.10 p.m. R5 3 Highly Likely (5 g High Chaparral - Starrinka) - Mark Du Plessis; was unable to recover after bungling the start in the Rating 75 2200 metres last Saturday at Ellerslie, and gets his chance for redemption in the $30,000 Rating 75 2400 metres. His prior form had been very good; including a win here three starts ago over 2100 metres on slow ground. A clean getaway should see him in or near the lead and ready for battle at the business end - one of two in the race for Te Akau.

3.10 p.m. R5 6 Imperium (4 g Encosta De Lago - Ethereal) - Michael McNab; was given an easy time after not handling the Dead6 footing on Nov. 26 in the Rating 75 2100 metres Ellerslie. He won here fresh up at a mile in September, ran home strongly for third over 2400 metres on Melbourne Cup Day at Ellerslie, and can turn his form around providing the tempo is genuine.

Awapuni:

As on Friday 11 December the conditions were: showery and Dead5, rail out 2.5 metres.

3.27 p.m. R5 10 Sir Darci (5 g Darci Brahma - Dominant) - Cameron Lammas; raced quite keenly with blinkers on for the first time in the Rating 75 1400 metres here on Nov. 21. Up in both grade and distance for the $25,000 Rating 85 1600 metres, he is likely to take up a prominent role and has recorded two of his four wins over the trip.

5.12 p.m. R8 14 Shillelagh (4 m Savabeel - Trocair) - Cameron Lammas; resumed with an impressive win in the Rating 65 1200 metres on Nov. 28 at Wanganui, with this rider aboard, and contests the $22,500 Rating 75 1400 metres. The winner of both her starts, she should appreciate an increase in distance and depending on the racing pattern a wide draw could work to her advantage.